2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge Feb update

In my effort to learn new techniques this year I have signed up for this series of monthly tutorials based on free motion quilting organised by the SewCalGirl site.
I hope it will give me more ideas and skills to apply to my smaller creations.

Okay, found a darning foot that fits my machine and sorted out the tension problems my machine had at the end of January (I think it had been overused!) so have finally had a chance to give this fmq a go - I was able to test it out by doing the stippling on my Santa wallhanging.

JANUARY:
This month the tutorial is about using a leaf pattern and is taught by Frances Moore.

the back

FEBRUARY:
The feather tutorial was from Diane Gaudynski and is called "Echo Feather Plume" ... I have a bit more practice to do with this I think! (Hers had a more definite silver fern shape, they narrowed to a peak at the top, mine are the rounder versions!

the back

Santa wallhanging



Kitset 'Country Santa 017' from The Wooden Bear Quilt Designs
Designed by Kelly Mueller

Finished this on Saturday 3rd March, quite appropriate really as it was the anniversary of Granny's passing and it was she who introduced me to crafting:


Machine patched and quilted; hand stitched applique

Found this kitset in my box of 'things to do one day' and started on it in January.  Got held up by the fact I needed to find a darning foot for my machine so I could do the freemotion quilting on the background before adding the applique Santa.

Step One: The patched backing

Step Two: free motion quilting of a stipple pattern - my first ever machined fmq - so easy! Love it!

The stippled background

The back - cream quilting for the background, green for the border

Close-up!

Sold! One blue giraffe!

We held a carboot sale yesterday at school and in the pouring rain I sold my 'blue' giraffe to Madi, who bought a black and white giraffe from me at last year's sale - I have a collector/fan!

I know it has gone to a good home! (And matches her jacket nicely!)

Newest batch of giraffes

Here they are...waiting to have limbs, ears and horns joined to the bodies...four new giraffes.  They were cut out back in November and stuffed in January. Watch this space for completed photos.